Italian Cheeses And Their Many Types

By Jim Antonio

Italian cheeses are some of the best in the World and all have so much flavor whether eaten alone or paired with your favorite dishes.

If smoky flavor and a mild taste is what you are looking for. The Provolone is the cheese you need. This is aged for 30 days and has enhanced flavors as well as being a delightful addition to many a sandwich or recipe.

To find the most flavorful of Provolone's look for richer yellow colors. These tend to be the best and freshest for your purchase. Ham and grilled cheese work better when this cheeses is used instead of a cheddar.

Asiago cheese is one that ages for approximately a year. It is made from the milk from cow's and has a firmer texture as well as it is pressed and then cooked. It is a pungent cheese but mild also. This cheese works as the perfect accompaniment in pasta dishes, shredded in casseroles etc., on fruit breads, in stews and in risotto recipes.

The more popular cheese called Parmigiano Reggiano is a fine example of Italy's excellent cheese makers quality. It is made flavor enhanced by adding many Italian spices into the mix. Sometimes this can be Bologna or even a Parma blending.

This cheese ages within one year to to three years. This cheese makes excellent additions to Italian pasta dishes and their flavor is even more delightful to eat. When buying Parmigiano, buy it whole not cut. This ensures you get the entire body of flavors and freshness from the cheese. You can also use the rind in soups and casseroles as it has a very enhanced taste to it.

Gorgonzola was made in a town of the same name near Milan originally. It is Italy's Bleu cheese. It has a much creamier texture than that of the Bleu's in America. It works great when paired with dishes that contain sweeter fruits such as pears or when sprinkled all over salad type dishes as it only adds to their flavoring.

This famous cheese called Mozzarella is popular all around.It can be found slathered on pizza, Italian pasta's and even on sandwiches and salads. Most people prefer to buy it in the form of Mozzarella balls within a brine solution. This is the best and the freshest way of getting it.

You can easily make a Caprese by using tomatoes, Mozzarella, basil, olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano. This goes well with any full bodied wines you may be serving and will delight everyones taste buds. This cheese can be used in its shredded version too.

Pecorino cheese is made by using the milk of sheep instead of cow's. When aged it can take the place in most recipe's of Parmesan and is often times preferred by those who have a taste for the more sharper flavored cheese. Most Pecorino Romano cheese comes from Sicily and Tuscany.

A more soft textured cheese is that of Crescenza. It does not take long for this cheese to reach aging. Milan is where some of the best quality Italian cheeses originated from. A few other names this cheese is known as are either Robiola or the famous Certosa cheeses. A fine wine is made that much tastier with the addition of a fine and well aged cheese from Italy. - 30543

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